Andrew Quient began working in clay in 1965, learning his skills as a potter, designer and teacher through a lengthy formal education and apprenticeship. He established his studio in Glen Cove, New York in 1976.

The artist has taught ceramics and design at Pratt Institute, Hofstra University and other colleges in the New York area, and has directed his own pottery school since 1990. In 1999 he moved the studio to Haydenville, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. The new pottery includes an expanded teaching space and a gallery showcasing the work of Mr. Quient. He currently divides his time between creating his own work and directing the teaching program.

Andrew Quient creates wheel-thrown stoneware. His work is widely known for its classic wheel-thrown shapes and intricate geometric surface patterns. For his forms he often draws inspiration from ancient Chinese examples, notable for their grace, strength and serenity.

In each vessel he seeks a dialogue between form and surface. He often begins his designs as drawings on paper. Each series of sketches is a progression of ideas, as the artist develops a solution for a given form. Mr. Quient's formal training in architecture is the basis for his interest in the interaction of form and space and for his intricate geometric designs.

In some cases the design is impressed into the clay and inlaid with glaze. In others the artist coats the surface with brightly colored underglaze, while in yet others he carves deeply into the clay to create a sculptural surface. The pieces are then fired to a stoneware temperature, transforming them into a durable finished ware.

Andrew Quient earned his degree in architecture at Syracuse University, and his master's degree in art education at Queens College of the City University of New York. His work has been featured in gallery exhibitions throughout the the United States and is included in the permanent collection of the White House.

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